Weldeyohannes was arrested at 4:30 a.m. Tuesday in Woodland, Wash., after the stolen car he was driving got a flat tire, according to charging documents. He was subsequently delivered to King County Jail.

In charging documents, prosecutors contend Weldeyohannes blamed Sium for ruining his life by reporting his abuse to police in 2010. He is alleged to have strangled Sium while her 4-year-old daughter slept in the room where the killing occurred.

According to charging documents, another person living in the apartment was getting ready for church when he discovered Sium’s body at 6 a.m. in the bedroom she shared with her 4-year-old daughter. Weldeyohannes was missing, as was Sium’s car.

A medical examiner later determined Sium had been strangled.

Seattle homicide detectives responded to the scene and spoke with several people living in the home. None reported hearing any unusual noises during the night or arguments between Sium and Weldeyohannes.

Investigators then learned Weldeyohannes had sent a text message to a friend early that morning saying he was “sick in the head” and planned to kill Sium, Seattle Detective Jason Kasner told the court.

“From jail I just got out and now I can’t control myself, my mind,” the message read, according to a translation offered by prosecutors. “Because I went in, my life and Rahel’s life has to be taken by me.”

A Santa Cruz County deputy contacted Seattle detectives just before midnight the day of the Sium was killed to say another associate of Weldeyohannes had received a similar text message from him.

The following day, one of Weldeyohannes’ relatives contacted police after receiving a call from him via a Woodland pay phone. The man told police Weldeyohannes said he killed Sium because he loved her.

Seattle detectives contacted Cowlitz County authorities and circulated a bulletin with Weldeyohannes’ information. Woodland police arrested Weldeyohannes in a city park early Tuesday following a report from a resident.

Speaking in an Eritrean language, Tigrinya, Weldeyohannes allegedly told Seattle detectives he and Sium had had trouble in their relationship since she arrived in the United States in the summer of 2010.

Sium moved to Seattle while Weldeyohannes was incarcerated in California for making threats against her. Despite a restraining order, Weldeyohannes came to Seattle two weeks before the slaying to stay with Sium.

Writing the court, Kasner said Weldeyohannes told detectives he suspected Sium had taken up with another man. He then admitted to strangling Sium while her daughter was sleeping in the bedroom, the detective continued.

“He also admitted during the interview that he blamed Ms. Sium for ‘ruining’ his life, and explained that he made good money and that his life was good until he was sent to jail by Ms. Sium and his sister,” Kasner told the court.

Charged with second-degree murder, Weldeyohannes remains jailed on $2 million bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned July 7 at the King County Courthouse.